John i



No. 622,975. Patented Apr. ",1899. J. |.`PR|cE.

B A R R E L ication filed June 27, 1898 l .(Nn Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. PRICE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. K. FARLEY` MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BARREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 622,975, dated April 11, 1899.

` Application iledJune 27, 1898'. Serial No. 684,611. (No model.)

poses, and consisting of a barrel or barrel-V shaped receptacle provided with a set of removable partitions whereby it is divided into a plurality of separate compartments,but may nevertheless be filled or emptiedwith approximately the same facility as though unprovided with partitions.

In the shipping or storing of candies, especially those of the softer varieties-such as cream candies, gum-drops, &c.-it is found that in handling the goods in ordinary barrels the weight of the mass of candy tends to crush the contents of the package into a conglomerate mass, and this is especially true when the package is subjected to the jarring or jolting incident to shipping or when the barrel is allowed to stand filled for a considerable period of time. This is obviously a very serious objection, since the candy when thus massed together is practically unsalable, and to obviate this difficulty it has been necessary heretofore either to make the candy of'a harder consistence than would otherwise be necessary or else to adopt the use of cornparatively small packages. The former expedient is obviously objectionable, because the salability of the goods depends to alarge extent on the consistence of the candy when offered for sale or its apparent freshness, as determined by its degree of hardness, and candy which leaves thefactory in a form suf-` iiciently hard to withstand the shipping without injury becomes in a very short time too hard to be in prime condition. The adoption of the second expedient-t'. c., the use of smaller packages-is obviously objectionable not only because ofthe increased cost and labor involved, but also because the smaller packages dry out and lose their freshness much more rapidly than packages containing a greater bulk.

It is the object of the present invention to obviat-e or overcome the above objections and to obtain certain advantages incident to the use of a package embodying the invention; and to this end my invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention may be readily understood from the following description, reference be- -ing had to the accompanying drawings, in

which-A Figure l is a vertical sectional view taken on line l l of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig-2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the sets of vertically-arranged or upright supporting-partitions. Fig. 4 is a view similar` to Fig. l, showing particularly the manner of inserting the uppermost set of Vertical partitions. Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of the upper and middle sets of vertical partitions, respectively.

In the following description it is to be understood that the terms vertical and horiz ontal and upper and lower are relative terms only, since the opposite halves of the package are identical when the package is complete Aand since Athe positions of the partitions will 4depend upon whether the barrel be standing on end or lying upon its side.

Referring to the drawings, A designates as a whole a barrel, hereinshown as of usual construction and as provided with the usual removable ends or heads A A2.

B designates a plurality of horizontal partitions or diaphragms arranged to fit within the barrel at intervals throughout the height of the latter, so as to divide the barrel into a series of vertically-separated compartments ortiers, each of said partitions or diaphragms consisting of two or more sections, so that the partition may be inserted through the head end of the barrel and assemble in position.

C C' C2 designate a plurality of sets of vertically-arran ged partitions-ein the present in- IOO stance three-each consistingof a pair of relatively thin boards c c',A notched together at their centers, so as to stand in the same horizontal plane and iu angular-relation to each other, as indicated most clearlyin Figs 2 and 3. The widths or vertical heights of the several sets of partitions are equal to the respective depthsot' the several tiers, so that each of the vertically-separated compartments is subdivided into four smaller compartments.

The several partitions may be and desirably arein practice all inserted looselyin position,

and it will be obvious that when assembled and the upper head end of the barrel secured in position the partitions will all be positively held from vertical movement and will support each other, so as to sustain the Weight of the candy packed therein. It will be obvious, however, that in the case of a barrel having the ordinary bulged form, as indicated in the drawings, it will be impossible to insert those sets of vertical partitions which occupy the upper and middle portions of the barrel if the lengths of thepartitions are equal to the full diameter of the parts of the barrel within which they respectively fit and the end thereof be made to conform accurately to the sides of the barrel. I have found, however, that if two corners at opposite ends of each board of the pair of boards forming each set of vertical partitions be cut off slightly, as

indicated at h2 b3 and 194135, the partitions may be slipped into place, notwithstanding; the fact thatv the amount eut away from each corner is so slight as to leave an opening so small as to prevent the passage of a comparatively small object therethrough, so small, in fact, that to all intents and practical purposes the partition is perfect. In order that these sets of vertical partitions may be inserted, it is necessary that they be passed through the open head end of the barrel,with their axes inclined to the axis of the barrel, as indicated by the position of the partitions C in Fig. 4, and thereafter righted into horizontal position within the larger part of the barrel and then adjusted to place.

ln the case of the upper set C it will be obvious that if the upper horizontal partition be iirst put in place it will prevent the insertion of the vertical partitions far enough within the barrel to permit them to be turned into horizontal position. To obviate this dificulty, I arrange both halves of the upper horizontal partition upon one side of the barrel, one half being arranged to lie upon the other, as indicated in Fig. 4, so as to leave one pair of the middle tier of compartments In packing the barrel, therefore, the operator will first put in the lowermost set of vertical partitions, iill the compartments of that tier, next put in the horizontal partition overlying the same, and insert the middle set of upright partitions and fill the compartments at one side only of this tier. He Will arrange the horizontal partition-pieces in the position shown in Fig. 4, and after 4having adjusted the upper set of upright partitions into place in the manner hereinbefore described fill the otherhalf of the middle tier of compartments and rotate the upper half of the upper horizon tal-partition in a horizontal plane into position to cover the last-filled half of the middle tier and finally fill the upper tier and head the barrel.

The' exact reverse operation might be employed in emptying the barrel; but inasmuch as the partitions are'very inexpensive and intended for use for a single shipment only the uppermost set of whichever end of the barrel happens to be opened will usually be broken out rather than to incur the trouble necessary to extricate the set of partitions in the manner indicated.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a package embodyingmy invention separates and supports the contents of the barrel in such manner as to prevent crushing of the candy in whatever position the barrel may be placed; that although no fastening devices, such as nails or the like, are used whatever, so that the several partition-boards come to the hand of the packer in flat bundles,'thus occupying a minimum amount of space, yet nevertheless the parts when assembled are IOO securely held in position and that the work involved in packing and unpacking is but slightly increased.

, While the specific form of the package herein described-is considered the preferred embodiment of my invention, yet it will be obvious that the details of construction maybe modified somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, a larger number of tiers of vcompartments might. be made upon the same principle. It will be further obvious that the contents of the barrel might be sufficiently supported and separated to prevent the massing together if the upright partitions were less complete than described herein.

I claim as my inventionl. An improved package comprising a barrel, a plurality of horizontally-disposed partitions arranged at intervals apart throughout the height of the barrel, and sets of vertical supportiug -partitions interposed between the horizontal partitions and between the latter and the barrel-heads, each set consisting of a pair of boards notched together at points midway of their length and in rightangled relation to each other so as to occupy the saine horizontal plane and each vertical partition-board being of a length equal to the IIO diameter of that portion of the barrel Within which it is designed to fit but having one of its Corners at each end out away.`

2. 'An improved package comprising a barrel of the common bulged form, larger at its middle than at either end, a plurality of horizontally-disposed partitions arranged at intervals apart throughout the height of the barrel, and sets of vertical supporting-partitions interposed between the horizontal partitions and betweenthe latter and the barrelheads, each set consisting of a pair of boards notched together at points midway of their length and in right-angled relation to each Vother so as to occupy the same horizontal lotn day ot" June, A. D. loue.

JOHN I. PRICE.

Witnesses:

S; LEEKELT, J. K. STANLEY. 

